This article ties in with Local Hero, specifically with Ben Knox, the old man who lives on the beach.
Read the article (you can access it over on Edmodo. Your group is "Block 4 English -- Fall 2013". Your log-in code is: cpxann.)
Then comment here. You can respond to the article generally, or do it lectio fashion -- start with a particular quotation to which you are responding.
“I sleep better knowing I’m not using more resources than I need. I have less — and enjoy more.”
ReplyDeleteThis line stuck out at me for two reasons. One, because it was the second to last line of the article so it was meant to stick with the reader (as it obviously has) and two, because I feel it speaks for not only what America’s society has become, but what it should be. As this article said, this ‘need for stuff’ that consumers seem to have today is some strange way of filling an emotional void that they can’t seem to fill another way. Because of this, households just become so cluttered and cramped, no matter how much space you started with. Then you get television shows like Hoarders on A&E but that’s a bit off topic.
Another big thing this article talks about is how Graham Hill was how much a person actually needs and how much just kind of sits around and how the more you have, the more you need to manage. All of those things - the gadgets, the furniture, the houses – that were supposed to enhance Hill’s life just made it worse. All those things that should’ve made life easier just drove him crazy with the stress that came as a factor of caring for it all. How can having all of these things be a good thing if they cause you worry and stress? They’re defeating the purpose of their own creation, especially the gadgets.
I agree with Hill when he says the line mentioned above. It’s easier to enjoy life – enjoy what you have – when you have less. When you’re living off the bare essentials of what you need to be living happily, comfortably and healthily, why do you need all of those other, burdensome things? Life would be easier without them and this ‘freedom from consumerism’ would allow you to live a more fulfilling life, like Hill was able to. Who needs all that competition to have the biggest and the best things? I think if we all went back to the bare essentials, the world would be brighter, and people would be happier.
Veronica Spadaro
"some strange way of filling an emotional void". . . There are some material items to which I am very attached. But I don't tie them to my emotional well-being. I loved my old car. I finally had to replace it, after 13 years and 272,000 miles. But I never needed the newest, latest, hottest item.
Delete"My space is small. My life is big. " I like how Graham Hill was able to adjust from his fancy rich lifestyle to his 420 square foot studio. He inspires me because I always thought that when I would grow up I would want to own the most expensive car and a nice big house and be able to afford nice things, but this makes me think twice. I don't need to spend extra money on things that are not essential for my life and I don't need a large house if I don't have a big enough family to fill it. Graham Hill talked about how he tried to find roommates to fill the extra space he had in his house and how it was just an unnecessary hassle. So if you just buy what you need then you would avoid that situation all together. I know this is the last line but I must say I really enjoyed it. Living with less I think makes someone appreciate their life and it enjoy it just a little bit more because things will be of more value to you and you will cherish them more.
ReplyDeleteI honestly believe that Americans are becoming too focused on their material items and buying unnecessary things. So many houses are full of miscellaneous junk that so many people have no idea what to do with them.
"Seventy-five percent of the families involved in the study couldn't park their cars in their garages because they were too jammed with things." Sad to say that I am from one of those families. My garage is filled up with things we just don't have space for or don't know what to do with but don't want to throw out.
My wife and I have been cleaning up our garage over the past year (partly because we could only fit so much into the garbage bin each week). A lot of stuff that we hadn't used n years, if ever.
DeleteMy essay is more of a general response than a lectio, simply because I found far too many lines that I could have possibly used to state and relate my ideas. I hope that that's OK, seeing as, in class, Mr. MacArthur said we should respond to the essay, but that it didn't need to necessarily be in lectio form. As I said and as can be read in my response, there were a lot of quotes that applied to my response.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading “Living with Less. A Lot Less.”, by Graham Hill, I couldn’t help but relate to his (the author’s) ideas about how “material objects take up mental as well as physical space” and “we know that the best stuff in life isn’t stuff at all, and that relationships, experiences and meaningful work are the staples of a happy life.” Though these statements have been proved over and over again, it’s hard to understand why we, as humans, would still desire so much material wealth. I agree with the theory that material goods don’t bring happiness, experiences do. It is this theory that supports my pre-college-summer plan to either backpack through Europe or travel the United States coast to coast. I honestly want to see what it’s like to live off of only what you can carry with you in order to see what materials are truly “necessary” to survival. Judging by the excerpt, “I live smaller and travel lighter. I have more time and money…” from when Graham is discussing his “traveling habit”, Hill would agree that living off of the bare necessities not only shows us how much we rely/abuse our “gadget” privileges, but also that the experience of this kind of traveling are particularly enlightening. I hope that, when I head out for my trip, whichever one it ends up being, I am able to learn and prove that I can be content without the constant presence of cell phones, iPods, etc. I also believe that the experience of living out of my back pack or car is a unique one, which everyone should probably experience before college (before it could potentially become a “real” temporary living style). Exemplified in the case of Graham, these types of trips teach the wanderer about what materials are really “necessary”. For example, Graham wrote that “the houses I design contain less stuff and make it easier for owners to live within their means and to limit their environmental footprint.” I know that, as teenagers, we are the largest culprits of “gadget abuse”, which is why I chose the summer between senior year and college as my targeted “travel date”. I hope that, after this journey, I can state (like Graham does) “I sleep better knowing I’m not using more resources than I need.” In a world of decreasing availability of nonrenewable resources, learning to live with less may become the only way to survive in the future. Overall, I agree with Graham’s theory that, “experiences show that after a certain point, material objects have a tendency to crowd out the emotional needs they are meant to support.” It doesn’t make sense to spend huge sums of money on things that not only are not vital to your life, but also will bring you only a small amount of temporary joy. I hope to learn exactly what I personally need to survive (thanks to my travels). Someday, I want to be able to say “I have less-and enjoy more. My space is small. My life is big.” as a general statement about my life and the way I live.
"I hope that, when I head out for my trip, whichever one it ends up being, I am able to learn and prove that I can be content without the constant presence of cell phones, iPods, etc." . . . I'd bring my phone. And my iPod, too, because music is good for the soul. But when you're travelling, those things should take a backseat to the places you go and the experiences you have. They can enhance rather than dominate.
DeleteThe line in this article that meant a lot to me was "Intuitively, we know that the best stuff in life isn't stuff at all, and that relationships, experiences and meaningful work are the staples of a happy life." Even though Graham Hill knows that most people know that material items aren't what leads to true happiness, but love and the things we are passionate about are what really matters, it is interesting to see how as human beings we are still attached to such things. The way I view it is that people still believe in the main teaching institutions of family, friends, education, etc. but we all still depend on technology to make us feel accepted and happy.
ReplyDeleteEven though there are positives to technology, the negatives are still present. Technology does distract from a simple, non-complicated life. The electronics and websites can distract from what's important, like work, school, friends, and family.
In some cases that can be true, technology brings elements into our lives that were not around even fifteen years ago today. These social networking sites, like Twitter, Facebook, etc. also give people a chance to talk to others around the nation, even around the world. This matter also gives human beings to have a dependency on their cellphones or laptops, but it's not necessarily always a bad thing.
But, what Graham knows is that it is not bad, there just needs to be a balance to keep life in order and to be able to live in a life with happiness. I hope to be able to maintain this healthy balance in order to live a good life.
"there just needs to be a balance" . . . Very true. "Everything in moderation. . ."
Delete"My space is small. My life is big. "
ReplyDeleteMy response is going to be more to the whole article, but I really liked the above quote and thougt it was worth mentioning. Graham Hill is explaining throughout his article how he went from having all of these gadgets and fancy items he didnt need, to having his little 420 square foot apartment and only the necessities. I feel like alot of people these days would do the same thing he did if they earned alot of money all at once. I know that whenever I get a paycheck from my job, I tend to be less cautious with what I buy, and I know that its a bad habit that many people have. Graham realizes that his life is better without all of the stuff he bought when he sold his company. I agree with the general idea of this article though, that less is more. You dont need fancy phones, laptops, cars, houses, etc to enjoy life. Some of the best experiences of my life have been technology free. The best experiences revolve around friends and family, not material items. Graham Hill even says that he realized that material items don't matter when he was out with Olga, experiencing life and enjoying her company. Another thing I would like to point out is how everyone takes technology and money for granted. For example, everyone has a cellphone these days, even alot of younger kids. It's ridiculous how out of control technology has gotten.
"You dont need fancy phones, laptops, cars, houses, etc to enjoy life.". . . All these things can help, but they have to be secondary, and not primary.
DeleteI really like the idea of minimizing space but maximizing what is done with that space. I personally enjoy feeling productive and like I'm working efficiently. I love the feeling of crossing work out of my agenda after finishing it right after school, knowing that I took care of what needed to be done and then not having to worry about it while I enjoy the rest of my day.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this article had the same kind of meaning. Although he didn't have much, he used everything that he did have as much as possible. To me, that is like being efficient. I really enjoy being as efficient as possible. For example, after being away all weekend, I am writing this blog post while out to dinner so I don't have to stay up until midnight finishing my work. Technology is also a huge part of my feeling of maximizing my time and being efficient. Without emails and internet on my phone, I would not have been able to send myself the link to write this post on my phone.
Even though my house is more than 420 square feet, I feel like my attempts at efficiency relate to the minimization of materials in this article.
Dallon Asnes
I lived for three years in 150 square feet, with another person. (We didn't need to cook). We were very efficient. Bunks, shelves. But we also had fewer possessions. (Music took up a lot more room back then.
DeleteWhat made this article so appealing to me personally was that is was written in a very accessible format. Frequently articles written on things like environmental consciousness or the minimizing of materialistic lifestyle choices come off as pretentious or completely inapplicable to real, every-man life. However, Hill's specific experiences in contrasting his life in New York/Seattle and his life with Olga helped to really give the message of the article context. Adding to this steady foundation for the reader was Hill's sentiments towards the end of the article-- "I like material things as much as anyone." This line and paragraph in particular really drove home for me the feeling that Hill does not think himself above those of us who do have their garages too stuffed with miscellaneous things. The idea that seems so out there at first for someone who has grown up heavily dependent on material items suddenly is less dramatic, more believable, and much more impactful. Downsizing not to restrain yourself, but to offer yourself new happiness and opportunities, is something many people who read this article could apply in their lives. That well crafted voice is just as important to me as the content message.
ReplyDelete"Simplify, simplify." In writing as in life.
DeleteWhat I got from reading this article "Living With Less" by Graham Hill is we don't necessarily have to eliminate all material objects from our lives, but remove their enormous and constant presence in our lives and our dependence on them. "I like material things as much as anyone else. I studied product design in school. I'm into gadgets, clothes, and all kinds of things. But my experiences shows that after a point, material objects have a tendency to crowd out the emotional needs they are meant to support. I wouldn't trade a second spent wandering the streets of Bangkok with Olga for anything I've owned." Graham Hill is addressing with this line, and this whole article in general that we, as a society and as a race, have become obsessed with what we call progress which we assosciate with as becoming as technologically advanced as possible. But this is not necessarily progress, progress is "an advancement in general". And can we really say we are making progress when we are advancing in some areas of our lives and moving backwards in others? Texting has replaced actual calling on the phone, and calling on the phone has replaced face-to-face social interaction. Instead of confronting people about our problems,we go to social networking like Twitter and Facebook to vent without actually dealing with our problems directly. We use technology as something to hide behind, not as something to help strengthen relationships and to communicate with people in a different way. Its gradually becoming the only way we communicate, we are sacrificing social skills and physical interactions in order to become more advanced technologically. But is that really progress? Graham Hill also addresses that material objects are not only just taking over our lives and impacting them negatively, but is also making changing the environment for the worse. "40% of the food Americans buy finds its way into the trash." This obsession with material things is much greater than technology, but also with consumption of products such as food, clothing etc. Mankind as a whole is generally never happy with what they have, they are always looking for the newest phone, the next style, etc. We always want more, more food so we have a bigger variety in our fridge, more clothes so we can become more diverse in our styles, and the big unanswered question is when will it end? Will it ever end? These are the types of questions that I'm asking myself after reading "Living with Less", and I think now that I will make an effort to be less dependent on those material things, because we will all regret when we are older living our lives behind computer screens, and if it's something we didn't realize before Graham Hill is definitely making us realize it now.
ReplyDeleteSierra Jesanis
"40% of the food Americans buy finds its way into the trash." ... That is a shame. We're part of a disposable culture -- people being disposable as well as things.
Delete"we lived in a tiny flat, totally content and in love before we realized that nothing was holding us in Spain. We packed a few clothes, some toiletries and a couple of laptops and hit the road. We lived in Bangkok, Buenos Aires and Toronto with many stops in between."
ReplyDeleteThis is the life I've always dreamt of living. I've always wanted to just be able to live off of a few clothes and travel without anything holding me back. I've always wanted to be able to leave all of my technology behind me and focus on real life that's happening in front of me and all the experiences that come with that. However, I find it very difficult to stay away from my laptop or my phone for a couple hours even. I absolutely idolize Graham Hill for realizing this and being able to put his words into actions. I think his idea for the world is really powerful and very smart. I don't think we as Americans and humans really realize how much life we actually miss out on because of the things that our lives revolve around. Most people spend hours sitting in front of a computer or a television every day instead of going outside and experiencing the life that's right in front of us and I think that we're really missing out. Unfortunately I feel that our obsession with technology will only get worse as newer and better technology is invented. People will become more and more disconnected with the outside world and I find that very sad. I really hope that when I'm older I'll be able to do what he has done and drop all of my gadgets and live a simpler life. I hope that I'll be able to live in a home that he's created. I hope that one day, my life will be big.
Kayla Singleton
"we lived in a tiny flat, totally content and in love before we realized that nothing was holding us in Spain. " . . . Well, that's very nice for you, but a lot of us are held in place by -- jobs? SO Bangkok and Buenos Aires are out of the question, but we are only a couple of hours from New York and Boston, and about six from Washington D.C. Not to mention Providence, New Haven, etc.
Delete"My success and the things it bought quickly changed from novel to normal. Soon I was numb to it all."
ReplyDeleteIt's an unfortunate thing to say, but this resonates with me completely. I could blame it as just being part of the package of growing up as an only child in a middle class American family, but it's also a personal failing that I've seen growing within myself for years now. I've surrounded myself so completely with any bits of technology and material possessions that I could afford that it has reached the point of pure boredom. Since I have clearly failed utterly to be Hill's example of self-control, then I'll at least strive for the next best thing and be self-aware. These feelings of growing apathy to my surroundings have made me all the more determined to embrace college life away from home, in the hopes that having to make my own way and maybe even being forced to just scrape by will make the things I have now start to feel special again. I think there's still hope. Let's hope I;m not proven wrong.
-Sarah Torrey
"Soon I was numb to it all." Numb. Like we've had a shot of mental Novocaine. College is your big chance, Sarah.
DeleteReading this article really made me think about how I am currently living my own life. I, and I'm sure many of you, rely heavily on my "stuff". There is a constant dependence upon material things that can be a handicap in some ways. The constant nagging by companies to buy the newest and latest thing makes people give in and spend the money on some unnecessary object that there lives may have been better without. The writer of this article was lucky in a way. He got out of the vicious cycle that is material possessions. He began to live a life that wasn't held down by shopping and purchases. Like Kristen, I really liked the quote "My space is small. My life is big". It really resonated with me. This person escaped and made a better life for themselves. I hope to maybe do this one day. Maybe not as extreme, but definitely something similar- living with less. I hope to escape this cycle one day, and I hope others will follow in this article's example.
ReplyDelete"The constant nagging by companies to buy the newest and latest thing" . . . And the commercials try to tell us that we'll be happier, more fulfilled, if we get their product. When it's really just that shiny toy truck.
Delete"My success and the things it bought quickly changed from novel to normal. Soon I was numb to it all."
ReplyDeleteThis passage stood out to me, particularly because of the author's use of the word "numb". So many of us work our entire lives for success. Every day we get up, spending money (on schooling) just to get. How are we doing ourselves any favors? We spend money to get money. Our quest for money becomes "normal", our everyday routine. The icing on the cake is: even if we get the money we so desire, it will become "normal". It seems that the more you gain, the more you take for granted what you have. Living with less is a simplistic and practical way to live. I believe we must always ask ourselves the question: Why? Why do I need so much money? Why can't I be satisfied with what I have? Why is it considered socially unacceptable to have less, rather than more?
And this is what a good poet can do -- show us the excitement inherent in "the normal".
Delete“ Intuitively, we know that the best stuff in life isn’t stuff at all, and that relationships, experiences and meaningful work are the staples of a happy life.”
ReplyDeleteThis quotation from Graham Hill stuck out to me while I was reading his article. Humans should really life their lives according to the motto that Hill is trying to express throughout his article. In our society we are so caught up with what’s the latest technology and the biggest and best thing to have that we solely are forgetting the important aspects in life. With materialistic objects we progressively become less appreciative of them as we acquire them. With amazing experiences that we have, we are always searching to try and savor them because they were so amazing and change your life forever. During our lives we search for something great to make us happy, but in the end we realize that this isn’t fulfilling enough. Hill’s statement can be connected to The Great Gatsby. Gatsby had enough money to buy anything he could ever want and he was set for life, but he was miserable. The only thing that made Gatsby happy was not all the money he had or the objects he could buy, it was Daisy. When Daisy came back into Gatsby’s life it was like there was nothing wrong in the world. Gatsby could have been the poorest of the poor but as long as he had Daisy everything would be alright. It’s interesting to see that Hill’s beliefs were carried out as far back as the 1920’s. I think that Hill is completely right and this is a standard of how I want to live my life by.
-Kristina Fusco
Did you see the most recent movie? I didn't, but the novel shows us the emptiness of that life. From what I saw of the movie, it glorified money, things, and consumption.
Delete"My life was unnecessarily complicated."
ReplyDeleteThese words in this article really hit a chord inside. It made me reflect on my life and how most people have complicated lives. I always wonder why people love to hoard things and why we overly complicate things? Life should be simple. It makes us have less stress of taking care of the things we love getting. If you buy a lot of clothes, a big house, gadgets and more, is the money and stress levels done? I think not as there is insurance to look after, fixes and repairs and eventually the thing decreases in value both selling wise and to you. This reminds of the story I read when I was a "young-in" about if you give a mouse a cookie, it will want more. Most people are never satisfied and happiness comes from achieving their goals of buying what our culture makes seem "must buys." We get one thing, and we strive to get the next big thing. This is the exact reason new popular expensive Andriod Phones come out in intervals of three months. For example you get the best phone out there right now called the Samsung S4, then in 3 months, Gate's Windows release a 41 mp Nokia Lumia smartphone!! I believe the trend will stay the same in that people will always want more things and not simplify their lives. Our culture is too much based on reaching the stars and living the dream through what people associate with being rich. ( Nice Cars, House etc). Especially looking at our generation where 8 year old kids have Iphones and simply free things like playing outside are deteriorating. Yeah living life would be better for our endocrine system (less released hormones associated with stress) but looking around our society and especially seeing teenagers go for top-paying jobs, I don't think most people living like this dude over here.
Sir Shayan Hassan I
"For example you get the best phone out there right now called the Samsung S4, then in 3 months, Gate's Windows release a 41 mp Nokia Lumia smartphone!!" . . . My wife is trying to talk me into upgrading to a smart phone. I probably will at soem point (I'm afraid of falling too far behind), but a big part of me is reluctant to go there.
Delete"Our fondness for stuff affects almost every aspect of our lives."
ReplyDeleteIn today's world, it is extremely hard to find an example proving this statement wrong. Everywhere you go you see teenagers with iPhones and the newest clothing. It's become something is almost necessary in our lives, and it truly affects every aspect of our lives. For school, you could be ridiculed for wearing outdated clothes or in a sport if you don't have the most advanced equipment. Even at home, we tend to believe that we need to have some stylish home that's open and lavish. In the article it talks about taking up more than three times more space than we did 60 years ago. I feel as if this has stemmed from the societal belief that we need all these items in our life.
Even if it's not in a society-pleasing way, we still have physical objects in our lives that we hold dear to us. For example, a piece of jewelry that our grandmother passed down to us or a baby blanket from our childhood. While these items may not be to please other people, we still hold on to them and hold them in our lives. By us holding onto these items we allow their meanings to affect our everyday lives.
Part of me wishes that I could be like Hill and live off less in my life. The fact that he could live with only 10 shirts and 420-squre foot home is just crazy, but it seems logical. Why take up so much space when you only need about half? The article also talks about the increase in American consumption but no increase in happiness, and Hill ends the article by stating that he has less but enjoys more. The idea of living so simply seems so appealing because as Hill states "they have a tendency to crowd our the emotional needs they are meant to support."
Ashley Caron
"For example, a piece of jewelry that our grandmother passed down to us or a baby blanket from our childhood." . . . These items are very different. If you've ever seen "The Antiques Roadshow": People are told their item is worth thousands and thousands of dollars, but they'd never think of selling -- because the sentimental value is far greater.
Delete"But my experiences show that after a certain point, material objects have a tendency to crowd out the emotional needs they are meant to support."
ReplyDeleteThese words really summed up the entire article for me, and gave me something to think I about. Through this passage, the writer discusses his need to go out and buy objects just because he had the money to buy them, not necessarily because he needed them. It is human nature to think that more is better; that we need bigger houses, in-style clothes, and fancy cars to be happy. But the thing is, happiness isn't determined by what we own, as the author states in the line above. Happiness is what we make with what we have; who we meet, where we go. That's what life's really about.
I always wonder what would happen if my family were to win the lottery. What would we do with all that money? Obviously we would pay off all of our bills first, but then what? I like to think that I would give it to charity, but there's that thing inside me that says 'Well, maybe I should buy my dream car while I have all of this money.' I think that's what almost everyone would say. But in reality, will that car be any better to me than knowing that I could have fed a hundred people tonight? Is that car even that much better than the one I already have? I think that's really what the writer is trying to say. We think that taking what we have will make everything better, that it will make our lives perfect. In reality though, these things will never bring joy to us, it is the people who surround us and the people that we help that will truly bring us happiness.
Katie Gorsky
"maybe I should buy my dream car while I have all of this money." . . . But then you'd worry when you parked it somewhere that it would get dinged. And the insurance, and the repair bills. The tax bills. What a headache. We should be grateful for our old beaters. They get us there.
DeleteI completely agree with this article. The closest I can relate to Hill's simple, minimalist lifestyle was my temporary living conditions at running camp. For a week, I lived with nothing but the bare minimum, clothes, a bed, etc. and I was perfectly happy. Take away the excess material items, and it becomes clear what is truly important. I particularly liked what Graham Hill said about how material items consume you. Quote: "Somehow this stuff ended up running my life, or a lot of it; the things I consumed ended up consuming me." That kind of sums up the whole problem right here. People buy things, feel the need to use those things, put all their time and attention into those things, and pretty soon they forget how they used to spend their free time (like on hobbies, important things, actual face to face interaction as opposed to social media). When you live a minimalist lifestyle you set yourself free from distractions and the stress of having to keep up all the time, with trends, and updates, and even repair. We need less then we think. People who spend there time consumed in their possessions lead terrifyingly empty lives.
ReplyDelete"my temporary living conditions at running camp." . . . And you could focus on something that you loved.
Delete“Living with Less” addresses issues I personally find extremely interesting. I know I live my life spending more money and consuming too much “stuff”. My family often throws away food that goes bad because we made too much then contributing to the 40 percent of food Americans throw away.
ReplyDeleteHaving an iPhone, a nice TV, and other gadgets has affected my family. Rather than playing a board game we sit down and watch a movie. Often times my friends, family, and myself are texting or playing games on a phone rather than socializing. I definitely agree that having more does make people antisocial even if they do not intend to end up antisocial.
The size increase in housing is mind blowing. 1,487 square feet have been added to the average house size 60 years ago. The personal storage industry makes $22 billion dollars. How can people possibly spend that much money on holding their material items when they have so much space in their homes, especially now that there are less people living per household.
I have a personal desire to live my life without a large amount of money. If I were to acquire a substantial sum I want to save enough to live my life comfortably but without luxury. As the author lived off a backpack of cloths and a laptop while travelling the world, I hope to live conscientiously off what I need and not live off my wants.
"Rather than playing a board game we sit down and watch a movie." When my son had his friends over over the summer, they would sometimes play board games. Even do crosswords puzzles! (I'm sure they continue to do much the same now that they're back at college.)
Delete(general response) I actually think about this concept a lot. I'm a very materialistic person and as of late it seems to be worse now that I have some disposable income. Even when my room is "clean", it's still cluttered with piles of books. In fact, the only clear surface I have in my room right now is my drafting table, but even that usually has a work in progress and various supplies scattered on it when I'm not between AP Art assignments.
ReplyDeleteBeing brought up in a consumerist society I think we've developed unnecessary connections to material objects. For example, it almost becomes a sort of tragedy if you think you've lost your phone for a second before you check between the couch cushions. A lot of it also revolves around image, such as brand name clothing or the amount and type of jewelry that you wear. It's sort of amazing to think about how your mom (for example) can have a box specifically meant to hold a large amount of jewelery and fill it to the brim while she regularly wears/uses barely even a quarter of what she owns.
Besides just being conditioned to be materialistic, it's hard to break free from this sort of vice because we may be afraid of offending someone by getting rid of a gift, or what others may think of us for not having a certain amount or brand of [insert object] or even that we just fear what emptiness may be left behind by disposing of some of our extraneous stuff.
Personally, I find the concept of living with less or as little as possible extremely fulfilling in a way and perhaps if I was a braver person I could lose the stuff I really don't need and maybe even be happier.
"For example, it almost becomes a sort of tragedy if you think you've lost your phone for a second before you check between the couch cushions." . . . That's not mostly a monetary issue, though. We've really become emotionally attached to our devices.
Delete"It didn't take long before I started to wonder why my theoretically upgraded life didn't feel any better and why I felt more anxious than before."
ReplyDeleteDuring my elementary and early middle school years I was often guilty of coveting the toys of my peers. My room overflowing with stuff was emptied in my mind at the absence of that one gadget. No I didn't need it, I'm not sure I even really wanted it. However nothing made a toy more appealing than seeing it in the hands of another. All of a sudden it's impossible to bear life any longer without it, and I can't seem to recall how I survived before my discovery of it. My parents were not very sympathetic of the torture I faced, only giving in for Christmas or my birthday. By that time I was certainly the only one without the toy and my desire consumed me fully. The holiday would finally arrive and I knew exactly which package contained it, peeking at presents being a talent of mine. This was it, the big upgrade. Most clearly I remember this feeling when receiving my first iPod. The packaging that insured it was fastened again moments after being removed in a screaming frenzy. I couldn't possibly risk it being scratched, snapped, or abducted by my older brother. How could I forgive myself if I fail at mastering this new technology? When my first and only American Girl doll was given to me after seeing all of my friends' extensive collections I was thrilled to say the least. My doll is still in her original packaging buried deep in my closet with every piece of clothing and accessory. Only did i take her out to calm my anxiety about any knots in her hair and reassure myself not a single scratch could be found on her delicate, plastic skin. The happiness and renovation was canceled by my innate apprehension. Perhaps I cared more for my friends sharing the enjoyment their toys gave them with me. I would have been happier, or at least less stressed, living simply. I should have never concerned myself with upgrades, impossible to keep up with. There is no standard of happiness what others find fulfilling will not necessarily give you the same satisfaction. Life's about the journey to discovering and pursuing your own bliss not mimicking the gratification of others.
"My doll is still in her original packaging buried deep in my closet with every piece of clothing and accessory." Keep it there! Those are the ones that fetch big bucks with collectors. :)
DeleteDoes all this endless consumption result in measurably increased happiness?
ReplyDeleteI found the entire article very enlightning. However there was one question from the article that truly made me think of the lives we live in our current society. Does all this endless consumption result in measurably increased happiness? I truly belive the endless consumption increases our happiness, but like a high it quickly turns novel to normal like hill states. The happiness we feel when we consume materialistic things does not measurably increase our happiness and as a result we cannot continue our pursuit of happiness in the land of opportunity and freedom. I am sure all the girls in our class can agree with me when i say this. Shopping at the mall has become a nescesity for us, we often say i need to go shopping. However i am also sure when i say no matter how many times we go shopping we always feel the need to go back for more.I can only say that humans consume things to try to increase their happiness but unlike hill they have not realized the actual consequenses consuming a sea of materialistic things.
Eujin kim
"I truly believe the endless consumption increases our happiness, but like a high it quickly turns novel to normal like hill states." . . . And like a drug, you need more and more to get the same thrill.
Delete"on the drop of a dime". . . The phrase I would use is "at the drop of a hat". But people don't wear hats the way they used to. (See Billy Collins/ "The Death of the Hat" -- https://www.facebook.com/BillyCollinsPoetry/posts/459704540757454 .) Or I would say "drop a dime on someone" -- which means to inform. But who uses a payphone anymore, and I think it costs a quarter anyway. Oh, well!
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